On 25 January 1944, at about 0700 hours, B-24J, # 42-73308, “Hot as Hell,” departed Kunming, China, for Chabua, India. It was assigned to the 308th Bomb Group, the 425th Bomb Squadron. It crashed in India. At 10:45 a.m., the formation of five B-24Ds “was forced to break up due to extreme instrument weather conditions.” All five aircraft crashed; B-24D, # 41-23889, crashed near Jorhat, Arunachal Pradesh, India. Crews parachuted from two and a third, which crashed, had two survivors. The fourth and fifth, “Hot as Hell” and “Haley’s Comet,” disappeared, the crews presumed dead (Tara Copp, Stars & Stripes, 8 Apr 2016). Haley’s Comet and Hot as Hell were found eventually. The crew was comprised of:

Pilot 1stLt William A. Swanson 0-728935

Co-Pilot F/O Sheldon L Chambers T-291

Navigator 1stLt Irwin (NMI) Zaetz 0-791661

Bombardier 1stLt Robert E. Oxford 0-663308

Engineer SSgt Charles D. Ginn 15084114

Radio Operator SSgt Harry B. Queen 11021096

Gunner Sgt James A. or K. Hinson 14188472

Gunner Sgt Alfred H. Gerrans 34325848

SWANSON, WILLIAM ALVIN, First Lieutenant (Captain), # 0-728935, USAAF

William A. Swanson was born 30 April 1921 in Proctor, Rutland County, Vermont to Rev. Charles Swanson (1873-1953) and Marie (Krantz) Swanson (1879-1967), both parents born in Sweden and naturalized. Siblings included John E. Swanson (1920- ) and Helen Swanson (1923- ).

He enlisted in the USAAF in Rutland, Vermont, on 27 December 1940, with two years of college. On 25 January 1944, at about 0700 hours, B-24J, # 42-73308, “Hot as Hell,” departed Kunming, China, for Chabua, India, with 1st Lt Swanson as pilot. It was assigned to the 308th Bomb Group, the 425th Bomb Squadron. It crashed in India. At 10:45 a.m., the formation of five B-24Ds “was forced to break up due to extreme instrument weather conditions.” All five aircraft crashed; B-24D, # 41-23889, crashed near Jorhat, Arunachal Pradesh, India. Crews parachuted from two and a third, which crashed, had two survivors. The fourth and fifth, “Hot as Hell” and “Haley’s Comet,” disappeared, the crews presumed dead (Tara Copp, Stars & Stripes, 8 Apr 2016). “Hot as Hell” was found eventually. He was awarded the Distinguished Flying Cross, the Air Medal, and other awards. The family placed a memorial marker in the South Street Cemetery, Proctor, Vermont. Images next page.